Right whales forage near the water’s surface at night, putting them at greater risk of potentially fatal collisions with boats, Jay Kirkham at Dalhousie University, Canada, and colleagues report on September 16, 2026, in the open access journal PLOS One.

It’s no secret that plastic and other human trash are a problem for marine life, but our understanding has long focused on the ocean’s surface. Now, a more complete picture is coming into focus, revealing that even some of our planet’s greatest depths have become home to our debris. As described in a study published on September 16, 2026 in the open access journal PLOS One, an international team led by Dr. Daniel Lauretta of Argentina’s natural science museum surveyed the Mar Del Plata Submarine Canyon in the southwestern Atlantic, finding that our trash has accumulated in a part of the planet we typically consider pristine.

Large-scale oyster reef restoration in the Chesapeake Bay is successfully creating three-dimensional habitats that support larger, more diverse fish communities, according to new research led by UMBC’s Allison Tracy in collaboration with scientists at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The study merged GoPro video and sophisticated sonar imaging, offering a template for effective monitoring in murky estuaries. And, by studying reef habitat years after restoration, the team could "see how the efforts paid off—and they did pay off," Tracy says.

Atlantic menhaden (Brevoortia tyrannus) supports a major commercial fishery along the U.S. East Coast and serves as essential prey for fishes, seabirds, and marine mammals, may be less able to sustain fishing pressure than some assessments suggest. A new study finds that a key estimate of deaths from natural causes was substantially overstated, potentially making the population appear more productive than its biology supports.

Study documents a female humpback whale – along with an escort whale – who had given birth to a presumed deceased calf and remained with it for several hours and possibly even days, suggesting a strong post-mortem behaviour was being demonstrated.

Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology and the Institut de Biologie Structurale have determined the structure and molecular characteristics of a remarkably heat-stable enzyme which turns nitrogen gas into ammonia. Their findings, published in Nature Communications, highlight new insights on how nature breaks the exceptionally strong N₂ triple bond to generate this important fertiliser and biofuel.

New study highlights the importance of lived experience, local knowledge, and community voices in climate change communication. The researchers call for climate policies and communication strategies in the Global South to move beyond broad, one-size-fits-all approaches and instead recognise the lived realities of the communities most exposed to climate change.

A dolphin who harasses fish until they regurgitate their food – then swoops in to steal it – has astonished University of the Sunshine Coast researchers who have documented this novel feeding strategy.  

A new review traces the development of carbohydrate-based medicines originating from marine organisms, from early bioactivity studies to approved products and current clinical trials. It links structural features such as sulfation, molecular weight and branching with therapeutic use, and outlines the production, quality-control, mechanistic and pharmacokinetic challenges that still limit clinical translation.